The long term goals of the Developmental Core are to solicit and provide funding for novel research projects focusing on HIV from our three member institutions (FHl, RTI, UNC) as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) throughout North Carolina and international partners working with UNC, RTI, and FHl. We will conduct objective peer review and assign senior investigators as mentors to nurture the research and subsequent publication and grant submission. In the first year ofthe new grant cycle we will combine $150,000 of CFAR funds with $75,000 of UNC funds to support small ($5,000-$20,000) awards in all aspects of HIV research (basic and clinical sciences, translational research, epidemiology, vaccinology, and behavioral research). Promising minority, female and junior investigators will be identified and mentored until they have successful independent careers, including external funding. We will continue to focus on the ongoing epidemic in women, minorities and international communities. We will also make larger awards (up to $50,000) in two settings: collaborative multidisciplinary efforts that originate in one of the Working Groups, which include the four CFAR initiatives;and in collaboration with the Developmental Core of the CTSA in which the larger award is made but the costs are shared with the CFAR and in some cases also the sponsoring Department, thus leveraging CFAR funding 2-4 fold. Outreach and education will be accomplished through: 1) presentation by all awardees at our weekly ID/CFAR conference, 2) our annual HIV Update course for 500 clinicians from the Southeast, 3) presentation of posters by awardees at the HIV Update and World AIDS Day, and 4) Research Dissemination Meetings in South Africa and Malawi. Continuous quality improvement will remain a focus consisting of a review of the entire process including solicitation, review, mentoring and productivity of awardees.